Assembly Polls: Andhra Pradesh Records 73% Voter Turnout
Sikkim will vote in all 32 constituencies, Andhra Pradesh in all 175, and Arunachal Pradesh in all 60.
Andhra Pradesh recorded a 73 percent voter turnout as of 6 pm, while Arunachal Pradesh recorded a 66 percent turnout till 5 pm. Voter turnout in Sikkim is at 69 percent till 5 pm. Odisha, on the other hand, recorded a 68 percent voter turnout as of 5 pm. However, the final turnout is expected to rise, the Election Commission said.
Zero polling was reported in 15 booths at Chitrakonda and Mathili Block of Malkangiri district in Odisha due to suspected Maoist fear, sources told The Quint .
Polling for Assembly Elections in four states – Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim – began alongside the Lok Sabha elections on Thursday, 11 April.
- Two people were killed in clashes between TDP and YSRCP workers in Andhra Pradesh
- Andhra Pradesh recorded a turnout of 73 percent
- Odisha recorded 68 percent voter turnout
- Sikkim recorded 69 percent voter turnout
- Arunachal Pradesh recorded 66 percent turnout
Catch all the live updates of the Lok Sabha Elections polling in UP, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana and the Northeast here.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)
Odisha to Vote in Four Phases
Odisha is the only state where the Assembly elections will be held in more than one phase. Here’s a lowdown:
- Phase I – Polling will be held in Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Berhampur and Koraput Lok Sabha segments and Assembly seats under their jurisdiction on 11 April on first phase
- Phase II – Voters in Bargarh, Sundargarh, Bolangir, Kandhamal and Aska Lok Sabha seats and Assembly segments under them will franchise their rights in second phase on 18 April
- Phase III – Polling will be held in Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Puri and Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha segments and Assembly constituencies under them on 23 April.
- Phase IV – Polling will be held in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha segments and Assembly constituencies under them on 29 April
Jaganmohan Reddy vs Chandrababu Naidu: Two-Way Fight in Andhra
The battle in Andhra Pradesh is between two men, both alike in ambition, but who are completely different in their political approach – Telugu Desam Party’s Nara Chandrababu Naidu, and YSR Congress Party’s Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Sikkim Voting Alongside LS Elections for the Fourth Consecutive Time
People of Sikkim will vote for the 32 Assembly seats on Thursday, 11 April, along with Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh. This will be the fourth consecutive time that the Assembly elections will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections in the state.
According to a Times Now report, 4,23,167 people will be eligible to vote in Sikkim this year, including 2,16,133 males and 2,07,032 females and two trans people.
The term for the current government will end on 27 May this year.
BJD vs BJP vs Congress in Odisha
The competition in Odisha will be three-fold, between CM Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress.
The BJD currently occupies 118 Assembly seats, the Congress has 16, the BJP has 10. The Independent and others have 3 seats in total.
EVM Failures Reported in Andhra Pradesh
EVMs failed to work at booth number 153 in Andhra Pradesh’s Raptadu Assembly Constituency, The Hindu reported. Raptadu falls in the Ananthapur district. The report further said that EVMs in polling booth no. 101 in the Visakhapatnam East constituency was also not working.
Polling Begins
Polling has begun for the 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, 32 in Sikkim, 28 seats in Odisha and 60 seats in Arunachal Pradesh.
Church Body Urges Christians to Vote for Secular Leaders
The Federation of Telugu Churches (FTC), an apex body of bishops and church heads of several catholic and protestant denominations in Andhra and Telangana have urged christian voters to not identify themselves with one political party, The Times of India reported. The body also urged Christians in the two states to vote for a secular leader.
CM Hopeful Jagan Mohan Reddy Arrives to Casts Vote
YSR Congress Party’s CM face Jagan Mohan Reddy arrived to cast his vote from Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh.
Polling Yet to Begin at Vijaywada Booth in Andhra
An hour after polling began in four Assembly elections, the Gujarati mandal school polling booth in Vijayawada did not commence polling yet, The Times of India reported.
Polling Delayed in Some Andhra Pradesh Booths
Polling was delayed by roughly 45 minutes late at the Seventh Day Adventists school polling station in MVP Colony in Visakhapatnam East Assembly constituency as poll agents were late, The Hindu reported.
A senior citizen said that the polling had not started at booth no 194 at Araku. According to the report, only 2 out of 8 EVMs are functioning at Araku Government High School.
CM Chandrababu Naidu Casts Vote
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu also cast his vote, along with his family in Amravati city.
Pink Booths Set up in Sikkim for Women Voters
The Election Commission has set up six pink polling booths in the west district of Sikkim. The pink booths are being managed by women staff guarded by women personnel.
The pink booths also distributed “I Voted” stickers to PwD voters and all women voters.
Technical Glitches Delay Polling in Guntur, 11 EVMs Not Working in West Godavari
Electronic Voting Machines in 11 polling stations at Iragavaram mandal in West Godavari are not working, according to The Times of India.
In another incident, technical glitches have delayed voting in several polling booths in the state’s Guntur district.
YSRCP's Jagan Mohan Reddy Casts Vote, Hopes for a Change
Andhra Pradesh CM hopeful YS Jagan Mohan Reddy cast his vote in Kadapa. The YSRCP leader, while talking to the media, said that he hopes that the change people are looking for happens.
YSRCP Agents Damage EVMs at Panakalapalem Polling Centre
YSRCP polling agents damaged EVMs at Panakalapalem polling centre of Vinukonda constituency in Guntur district, The Times of India reported.
Technical Glitch in EVM at Odisha's Rayagada District
Voters reportedly returned from the polling booth at the Godibali UP school under Kashipur block in Odisha’s Rayagada district after delay in voting due to technical glitches in the EVMs, OTV reported.
Hamro Sikkim Party President Baichung Bhutia Casts Vote
Working president of the Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP) and former football player Baichung Bhutia cast his vote from East Sikkim’s Pangthang, News18 reported.
Andhra Pradesh: Jana Sena MLA Candidate Arrested for Destroying EVM
According to a Times Now report, a Jana Sena candidate threw the EVM on the floor at a polling station in Andhra Pradesh. The MLA candidate further threatened to destroy more EVMs.
Huffpost India reported that the Jana Sena candidate has been arrested for smashing an EVM on the floor.
Hundreds of EVMs Reportedly not Working in Andhra
In Andhra Pradesh, hundreds of EVMs are reportedly not working and the voting has been stalled, News18 reported. 300 BHEL engineers have been called in for the repairs.
Voters were reported waiting in long queues due to technical glitches in EVMs.
TDP Candidate Aravinda Babu Attacked
TDP candidate for Narsaraopet, Aravinda Babu was attacked by YSRCP activists, according to The Hindu. The police has resorted to lathi-charge to quell the clashing of TDP and YSRCP workers.
Arunachal CM Urges People to Vote
Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who is seeking a re-election, contesting from Mukto Assembly seat for the third consecutive term, urged people to exercise their right to vote.
In a tweet, Khandu urged people to vote for a better tomorrow.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Casts Vote, Addresses Faulty EVM complaints
Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi cast his vote in Tadepalli and said there were complaints about technical glitches in EVMs in about 50 places.
Technical teams were on the job to rectify the defects and enable polling, he said.
Polling Underway in Arunachal Pradesh
22% Voter Turnout in Sikkim Till 8.30 am
The voter turnout at 8:30 am in Sikkim was recorded to be at 22 percent, according to FirstPost.
YSRCP Candidate Matta Raju Attacked by TDP Cadre
YSRCP leader from Saniverapupeta Village, Matta Raju, was allegedly attacked by TDP workers outside the polling station at Indira Colony High School (Booth no 4,5,6) in Eluru AC, West Godavari district, The Times of India reported.
YSRCP Induging in Booth Capturing in Andhra's Gonthuvaripalli
Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress Party workers have capruted a polling booth in Gonthuvaripalli village in the Rayalaseema area of Andhra Pradesh, according to an ETV Telugu report. They have reached an 80-20 arrangement with the Telugu Desam Party workers, and have shut the doors of the polling booth.
Jana Sena Chief Pawan Kalyan Casts Vote
Actor turned politician and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan cast his vote in Sri Chaitanya School in Andhra Pradesh’s Vijayawada.
Young Volunteers Help EC With Polling Duty in Sikkim
Faulty EVMs Causing Huge Delays in AP
Faulty EVMs are causing huge delays in polling, with only 6% turnout recorded in some areas. Polling is yet to begin in some booths in Madanapalli, Tambalapalli, Tirupati, Satyavedu, Renugunta and many other areas.
Reports suggest 372 faulty EVMs have been found.
Seven Percent Voter Turnout in Odisha Recorded Till 9 am
A FirstPost report quoted the Odisha Chief Electoral Officer Surendra Kumar as saying that the voter turnout in the state was at seven percent till 9 am in the first phase of Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Sikkim CM Pawan Kumar Chamling Casts Vote
Chief Minister of Sikkim Pawan Kumar Chamling cast his vote, along with his wife, News18 reported.
Oldest Voter in Sikkim is 107-Yr-Old Sumitra Rai
Sikkim’s oldest voter, 107-year-old Sumitra Rai cast her vote from the Poklok Kamraang Constituency in south Sikkim.
Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu Calls for Re-polling Over Reports of Faulty EVMs
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, after multiple reports of EVM failure in his state, has written to the chief electoral officer, urging him to hold re-election for the areas affected by faulty EVMs.
22% Voter Turnout Till 11 AM in Odisha
Odisha reported 22 percent voter turnout till 11 AM in the first phase of polls, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer was quoted by OTV as saying.
Arunachal Pradesh Records 27.48% Voter Turnout Till 11 am
41 % Voter Turnout Till 11 am in Sikkim
41 percent voter turnout has been reported from Sikkim, till 11 am.
'Appeal to Voters to Come Out in Large Numbers': Naveen Patnaik
Odisha Chief Minister and BJD leader Naveen Patnaik took to Twitter to appeal to the people of Odisha to vote for a ‘glorious future for Odisha’.
AP Speaker Faints Following Attack by YSRCP Activists
Andhra Pradesh Speaker Dr Kodela Sivaprasada Rao fainted following an attack by YSRCP activists in Inumetla village of Sattenapalle constituency, _The Times of India_ reported.
TDP-YSRCP Workers Clash in Bandarlapalli, Andhra Pradesh
Clashes broke out between YSRCP and TDP workers in the Puthalapattu constituency’s Bandarlapalli area in Andhra Pradesh. The police had to resort to lathi-charge.
Two Killed in Clashes Between TDP–YSRCP Clans in Andhra Pradesh
Two men have reportedly died in inter-party clashes in Tadipatri constituency in Andhra Pradesh. According to reports online, Pulla Reddy of YSR Congress Party and S Bhaskar Reddy of the Telugu Desam Party have died after a clash broke out between the workers of the two parties. The incident occurred near booth No 197 in Veerapuram village.
Arunachal Records 40.5 Percent Voter Turnout at 1 pm
Arunachal Pradesh recorded a voter turnout of 40.5 percent till 1 pm.
Sand Artist Creates Art to Raise Voter Awareness
Famous sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a piece to raise voter awareness at Odisha’s Puri Beach. The art piece, with an inked finger and an EVM besides it, says “Your message, your future.”
41% Voter Turnout in Odisha as of 1 pm
About 41 percent votes were polled in Odisha till 1 pm, the first six hours of polling, IANS reported.
Amid Faulty EVMs and Violence, Andhra Pradesh Records 41% Turnout
Andhra Pradesh, marred with incidents of violence and EVM malfunctioning, has recorded a 41 percent turnout as of 1 pm, according to PIB data.
A Centenarian Casts Vote in Arunachal Pradesh
A centenarian from Tajang village of Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh, with her youngest son casts her vote.
Clash Breaks out Between TDP and YSRCP Workers in Andhra Pradesh
A clash broke out between workers of TDP and YSRCP at a polling station in Jammalamadugu Mandal in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa district. A YSRCP worker was injured and has been taken to a hospital, reported ANI.
BJD Accuses BJP of Violating EC Guidelines for Holding Press Meet
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has written to the chief electoral officer of Bhubaneswar over violation of the EC guidelines by the BJP. The BJD has accused the BJP of holding a press meet and has sought strict action against the BJP and OTV, reported ANI.
Andhra Pradesh Records 55% Voter Turnout till 3 PM
Arunachal Pradesh Records 50.87% Voter Turnout till 3 PM
55% Voter Turnout as of 3 PM in Sikkim
Odisha: Zero Polling in 15 Booths Due to Maoist Fear
Zero polling was reported in 15 booths at Chitrakonda and Mathili Block of Malkangiri district in Odisha due to suspected Maoist fear, sources told The Quint.
“In 6 booths of Chitrakonda in Malkangiri district, there has been no voting due to threat by naxals,” Chief Electoral Officer in Odisha said, reported ANI.
I Apologise for the Failed EVMs: Chandrababu Naidu
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu apologised to the voters for the EVM problems in the state. “Election commission which acted actively in transferring the officials couldn't maintain EVMs & VVPATs. They've failed. You had to face troubles in the scorching heat. I'm very disappointed. However I appeal to all of you to cast your vote,” he said, reported ANI.
Security Personnel Injured in Clash Between TDP & YSRCP Workers
A security personnel was injured after a clash broke out between TDP & YSRCP workers in Kurnool’s Ahobilam in Andhra Pradesh, reported ANI.
Failure Rate of EVMs Has Been Under 1%: Odisha Chief Electoral Officer
Odisha Chief Electoral Officer Surendra Kumar said, they have been successful in conducting the first phase of polls in a free, fair and peaceful manner. “There has been no untoward incident whatsoever in the polls. The failure rate of EVMs has been under 1 percent,”he said, reported ANI.
66% Voter Turnout in Andhra Pradesh till 5 PM: EC
Sikkim Recorded Voter Turnout of 69% as of 5 PM: EC
73% Voter Turnout Recorded in Andhra Pradesh till 6 PM
Arunachal Pradesh Recorded a Voter Turnout of 66% till 5 PM
68% Voter Turnout in Odisha till 5 PM
TDP Leader Sits on Dharna
State IT Minister and TDP leader Nara Lokesh sits on a dharna alleging inadequate arrangements at the polling center in the Christian Peta area of Tadepalli, reported ANI.
TDP, YSR Congress Workers Clash in Kurnool
Police use lathis to disperse crowd in Allagadda, Kurnool as workers of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) clash in the area.